Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 June 2024
403. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health for an update on each of the strategic implementation objectives under the mid-term review of the National Drugs Strategy, by objective with current status, barriers preventing implementation and timeline for delivery, in tabular form. [26874/24]
View answer404. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the date of the last three meetings of the National Oversight Committee; and the date of the last three meetings of the strategic implementation group meetings. [26875/24]
View answer406. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health the current status of the new National Drugs Strategy. [26877/24]
View answer407. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health when consultation will commence on the new National Drugs Strategy. [26878/24]
View answer408. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Health if he is satisfied that the National Oversight Committee is given opportunity and autonomy to provide robust oversight of the National Drugs Strategy. [26879/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 403, 404, 406, 407 and 408 together.
The national drugs strategy, Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery, runs from 2017 to 2025. Following a mid-term review in 2021, six strategic priorities were agreed for the second phase of the strategy. Under the auspices of the national oversight committee, strategic implementation groups, with independent chairs, were established to develop and monitor a Strategic action plan for 2023-2024, containing 34 actions across the six strategic priorities.
The Dept of Health is commissioning an evaluation of the development and implementation of the second phase of the national action plan, to include:
- the oversight structures for the national drugs strategy
- the strategic implementation groups
- the six strategic priorities and 34 actions in the strategic action plan 2023-2024.
It is expected that the evaluation will commence in Q3 2024 and be completed in quarter 4, 2024.
The recommendations of the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use will provide the building blocks for the next national drugs strategy and strategic action plan in 2025.
The Report of the Citizens Assembly on Drug Use recommends that Government should publish a new iteration of the National Drugs Strategy as a matter of urgency. A first draft should be published by June 2024 for consultation, with the recommendations of the Citizens Assembly as a key input. The Strategy should contain annual action plans with measurable targets and objectives, clear designation of responsibilities, and regular reporting on implementation and expenditure.
In addition, the citizens assembly made a number of recommendations specifically referencing the national drugs strategy.
The Government has established a special Oireachtas Ctte to consider the recommendations of the citizens assembly. It is expected that this ctte will report at end of 2024.
Taking into account the above factors (current action plan, commissioning of evaluation, deliberations of the Oireachtas ctte, and the recommendations of the citizens assembly), it is not practicable to have a first draft of the new national drugs strategy in 2024. Rather, the ideal timeframe for the finalisation of the new national drugs strategy s the first half of 2025. The new strategy should include an annual action plan beginning in 2025.
With regards to the last three dates of the National Oversight Committee, these occurred on the 7th March 2024, 7th December 2023, 7th September 2023. The next one is set for the 11th of July. The 6 Strategic Implementation Groups are chaired independently and each chair sets the meetings themselves. However, they are asked to have a meeting in advance of each NOC meeting to ensure that updates on the progress of their respective actions are prepared for the NOC committee in a timely manner.
The National Oversight Committee is chaired by the Minister for State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy has been convened to oversee progress in the National Drugs Strategy.
This committee’s responsibilities include:
• to give leadership, policy direction, prioritisation and mobilisation of resources to support the strategic implementation groups.
• to measure performance in order to strengthen the delivery of drugs initiatives and to improve the impact on the drug problem.
• to monitor the drugs situation and ensure that the lessons drawn from evidence and good practice inform the development of policy and initiatives to address the drug problem oversee.
• to ensure good governance and accountability by all partners involved in the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy
• to oversee early warning and emerging needs and research sub-committees
The committee’s membership was reconvened after a mid-term review in 2021, with the addition of six independent chairs of the new strategic implementation groups. The Mid-term review also reviewed the governance and oversight structures of the strategy, including the NOC.
To drive the six new strategic priorities that arose from the mid-term review, six strategic implementation groups were also established which sit underneath the National Oversight Committee. The membership of the six new groups comprises of representatives from Government departments and agencies, drug and alcohol taskforces and civil society, with an independent chairperson.
Both the National Oversight Committee and the Strategic Implementation Groups ensure that civil society are centrally involved in reducing drug-related harm. The groups are also working to strengthen the inter-agency partnership approach and widen and deepen the involvement of civil society in developing national policy. Progress on the Strategic Action Plan 2023-2024 is reported on a quarterly basis to the National Oversight Committee where the actions and any barriers to implementation is discussed on a standing agenda item at each NOC meeting.
The progress updates on each action within the Strategic Action Plan is then published online after each NOC meeting here. It is envisioned that this action plan is completed by the end of 2024.
